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Topic Review (Newest First)

04-20-2011 08:11 PM

tech69

work the dent first and then shrink. You never want to just shrink something unless you have given your all in straightening it. Is the tear the outer most part? If so, you'll have to weld that by lining up the edges and pushing it in the normal position. If you have shrinkage you can just hammer and dolly it out. I'd take care of the tear, then metal work, then shrink, then repeat. If you have one of those shape gauges you're in business. Can always make a cardboard one too.

04-20-2011 04:41 PM

willowbilly3

I can't tell by the pictures but it sounds like you need to shrink the metal. Sometimes it is brutalized too far to get shrunk back. Shrinking is an art and not easy to describe. For smaller amounts you can use heat and a wet rag to quench the metal. for more extreme cases you need to heat a small area the size of a dime to cherry red and then hammer and dolly it back down. Do thos several times in a circular pattern around the circumference of the area to be shrunk.
You can also shrink as you weld by using the same technique. Welding with a torch and small wire, then hammer it after about 1/4" of weld as it is still cherry red. It helps if you have a second set of hands but if done right you can't even tell it's been repaired when you are done. It takes practice.

04-20-2011 12:22 PM

50deucerunner

ford PU fender work

so i need to make this fender look like the other side, which is the shape its supposed to be. Heres a picture i took and drew a red line showing where the fender needs to be. Who ever had this before did the work but pulled the dent out too much making it look like this. Anyway, how can I flatten that bowed part back out to make it look like its supposed to. Also there are a few tears that are effecting the reshaping.

any suggestions? Im trying to do this on a budget with common tools and materials. Let me know if you need more explanation of what Im trying to accomplish.